Newsletter Summer 2022

ram house VIDEO PODCAST

executive director’s corner It is not unusual these days to see a long line of people waiting for emergency assistance at RAMHouse. We are grateful to the Roanoke Times Good Neighbors Fund campaign and we have been able tomeet the needs of people who would otherwise join the ranks of the homeless. Many are fixed-income elderly and disabled individuals who were able to meet their budgets in the past but are now in financial trouble due to a 40-year high inflation rate of 9.1% for food, gas, and housing costs. At the end of May, fuel costs were up 34.6% from a year ago. The lower middle income are devastatingly becoming low income individuals. Given this new post-pandemic world, RAM House is quickly changing how we serve. Since the first of the year, we have collaborated with the Rescue Mission to have the Fralin Clinic visit our day shelter. We have provided additional mental health services through BrightView Health and Support Services LLC. The Council of Community Services has sent a social worker into RAM House to assist homeless veterans. The Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition is also on site. It is humbling and challenging to try to meet the vastly increasing needs of our community. Our staff and volunteers are helping more people than ever. We continue to see increases in day shelter guests. As a non-profit, this has meant additional staffing hours as well as an overall increase in supply costs. Thanks to your generous donations, we continue, as our tagline aptly states, to see the need and meet the need. Daily.

Our Ram House video podcast has once again picked up steam for the summer months. We are currently interviewing those who are in front of and behind the scenes at RAM House. This podcast is a way to keep up-to-date with our volunteers, donors, and social media followers on the latest happenings at RAM House. This summer we have had the opportunity to interview our Executive Director, Board President, Kitchen Manager, and Shelter Manager. They have been able to fill us in on what is urgently needed and how we are meeting the need. We have planned more video podcasts with other staff, board members, and a volunteer or two. If you haven’t followed us on Facebook, please do so today. This way you can keep abreast of the latest information and updates.

development director’s corner In April, Bruce Loving joined RAM House as our new Development Director. He is a native Virginian with over two decades of experience in the non-profit sector. He has served as the director of public relations for Washington National Opera, director of communications for Virginia Opera, and membership manager for Greenpeace USA, among others. Bruce is a graduate of Mary Washington College and the University of Virginia School of Law. Bruce is available to discuss ways for you to make a difference at RAM House. You may contact him directly by email at developmentdirector@raminc.org.

RAM NEWSLETTER

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